A method of blowdown for a steam chamber of a thermal recovery process is provided. A blowdown mixture is introduced into the steam chamber. The blowdown mixture can include glycol and water. Heat can be adsorbed from the steam chamber onto the blowdown mixture. A viscosifying agent can also be introduced into the steam chamber. Oil from the steam chamber can be emulsified with the viscosifying agent to produce oil or emulsions of oil. The blowdown mixture and the oil or emulstions of oil can both be recovered from the steam chamber.